The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-03
WHY STAND YE IDLE !?
THERE IS MUCH TO BE DONE EVEN IN
THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
Stand at the Fountain Head Of q
Nations Wealth and Prosperity.
IiSouthern Cultiudtor. l


Dor OF cultivating the two most important
crops Is pretty we'll over on every well-man-
aged farm, excepting. possibly, in the extreme
though July lst -is literally the midway sta
tion in the years calendar. August lst Is real
ly neale er the dividing line between the work
Of and the nsors Ss of the harvest vest
prof1tahly be done In the continued cultiVa-
tion OF the cotton field.
SHALL FLOWING CONTINUE?
It depends on the condition of the plants
and seasons II the crop Is In growing con-
development than It. should BIZ, the cultlva.
tors, or Shallow-runnng sweeps and scrapes,
may he run over the fields every ten days,
particularly after n rainfall sufficient to form
crust. RoOt-cuttirg and mangling must be
carefully avoided. ms the effect will be to cause
the plant 10 shed Its fruit and then take
new growth too late TO amount 10 anything.
The object now should he to prevent the sh ed
ding or the squares already formed. and en-,
courage their development into blooms and
bolls, since very few that make their appe1r-
the first killing frosts Of October Late cotton
should be encouraged to keep up vigorous
growth. not that the additional development
nf the weed will increase the number Of bolls
by the formation Of now squares, hut that the
squares and young hollis may be hastened 10
full size and earlier maturity: Where sweeps
or scrRpes have been used during June and
hetter 10 run the implement In the same fur.
row previously last run, and thus avoid
plunging the p!ow into the ridges Of soil cast
middle. using twenty-inch sweep. scrape or
rultIvator, will generally be all thatisnow re-
quired. es
TOPPING COTTON.
Many experiments have been made In top
ming cotton in the last forty years, and the re-
srlts and conclusions have hean very diverse. )
Sometimes 81 pays; often II does not: some
times II Injuries. No rule can be given that
Will always work. The usual object In top
ping is TO prevent further growth or weed and
T,rns AFTER the plant has rs many as II can
sustain, and when new forms would be to0
late tn mntnre; the Idea being to induce the
rlant to throw all Its vigor into the effort 10
develop the forms already visible. This OH
iect. according IN our observation Ia rarelyat->
tanned hy merely removing the growing top
of the plant, hut may often he accomplished
he branches. as we'll as the leader. In most
ases where topping cotton resulted In IN.
creasing The yield IL might have been noticed
thnt the work was done rather early-some.
time In 1nly. Every one has observed that
stalks OF cntton that were topped by the bite
NJ the plow-horse early In the season are Of
ten made much more fruitful thereby. In
such cases the effect OF the early TOPPING ,s Was
into more vigorous growth, causing more
rapid evolution Of forms. On the whole: we
have but little faith In topping cotton as part
Of regular system.
PULLING FODDER.
The propriety OF pulling fodder. I. e., wheth-
II does not ipiure thc grain more than the fod-
Ter is worth, to pull tho blades as Is usually
done, Is one Of the questions that has been
long mooted, but never settled. Experiment.
prs differ In results and conclusions. Possibly
ea"h Ia correct In the results of his aHreri-
rent, bnt wrong In his general conclusions.
The only trne conclusion is, that palllne The
blades sometimes does. and sometimes does
not. injnre the grain more than the valne OF
the fodder secured. 1t Is commonly said, N
comparison with the animal system that the
blades of corn are the lungs of the plant. by
means Of which the plant takes In nutrim"nt
from the air; and rs an animal will at once
die if deprived Of it's lungs therefore the corn
the simile would be perfect and the conc'u-
siOn correct. II Is n fact in vegetable econo. i
my that the leaves or blades Of plants continue
green and succuent for time n!ter they have
ceased 10 he at all necessary to the perfection
If the fruit or seed. Familiar Illustrations OF
his law may be found on every hand. In the
cnse OF the corn plant, under favorable and
natural conditions or soil and season, the ear
II corn-the fruit of the plant-is among the
frst parts to show signs of maturity. The
asset and silk perform their offices. and are
TIE enclosed gain. This succession will be
noted particularly when corn Is grown on
fresh lands or soils ahnunding In humus. On
worn and exhausted soils or soils deprived Of
egetahe matter, and easily influenced by
drnuth. the blades often "dry mp before the
rraIn is 'uiy matureh. In such cases 1t ~ un-
iouhtedly true that to hasten the stripping OF
ihn hlad.'s. without reference 10 the condition
ri the ear would result In more or less injnry
and loss of weight Of grain. or this every
farmer must he his Judge. BE governed ny
the condition of the ear, and not on the blades
altogether. In deciding just when to COM
There is nothing In the way of hny that is
more generally relished by stock than nicely
few kinds (covers and lucern) that are more
nutritious. Our horses and cattle are gener-
ally reliable judges: and they turn from the
hest sdw h S
appreciate the Quality OF well cpred corn
blades. because under their system they do
not pull the blades as we do, but cut down
stalk and all, and treat the stalk and blades,
after removing the ears, as so much rough
ness or "stover," fit only to be picked rver
ny cattle, and the hulk Of IT trampled under
and mowers they cannot afford the tedious
labor involved and meager returns from the
practice Of fodder pulling as followed by
Southern farmers. They are right. and we
devoted TO pulling and housing corn hlndes IN
the South were employed In preparing rnrtd.
ows and moving grass the result would ada
millions OF dollars 10 the value or our farm
results. We would then be encouraged tn In
crease the area devoted to grass for moving to
any desired extent. until our barns would be
filled wih plenty for horses IN mu,eS m Sneer nha
ed animals shivering in the cold and rain,
and moaning for their sttnted and often for.
gotten allowance Of shucks, would be banish-
ed from among U.S.
To do this we are not dependent on the
doubtful, success or The standard hay grasses
from abroad. We have our own natiVr-at
least thoroughly naturallzed - crab grass
crowfoot. Bermuda. and several species or
Dds,,alHD,s: besides several species OF m1llet.
Indian corn, clover, lucern. ETC. or course. II
hero is no other resources for hay, and moth
Ing more profitable for the hands to do. the
fodder should be pulled. a common field
hand costing sny f1ftr c"n's day. can save
one dollars worth Of fodder, and possibly not
seriously injn-e the corn-a very good opera
zion, The plan of cutting the stalks down
will not answer In our climate, aud without
other resource Of better forage.
WHAT MAY BE PLANTED.
August ha sometimes been called second
spring. in nlluson TO the fact that many or
the crops planted first in the earlier months
may again he put in, but chiefly because It is
the beginning Of seedtime for all or the
!rasses and small grain. Many OF the gar
den vegetables, including turnips. beets,
beans, tomatoes. Irish potatoes, etc.. NAV be
PLANTED with reasonable prospect OF sucress-
iul results. 1t is the main month ior sowing
MI the rough-leaved varieties OF turn1pS. Sue
cess dcpendS-more than in the spring-on
deep preparation. liberal mannring with well
rntted stable manure, or QUICKLY Sn,in'e Isrt!-
lizers and good seasons. with little eHnrt,
and reasonable weather. most OF the garden
vegetables may he had In plenty until frost.
during nm abundant suppy of tomatoes from
plants grown from cuttings or the old pants
4 cutting containing vigorous shoot, Win
norton of the older stem attached. Will readl.
iy strike root: and If set In deeply Dug SOIL
and shaded for few days IL VIII soon come
frost.